Angola

Prior to the arrival of Portuguese colonizers in the late 15th century, the land now called Angola was governed by several Bantu kingdoms, most notably the Kongo kingdom. Following its independence from Portugal in 1975 and until 2002, Angola was embroiled in a civil war as different anti-colonial guerrilla groups (principally the MPLA, FNLA and UNITA) fought for control of the country. These groups’ contrasting ideologies and differing ethnic origins (M`bundu, Bakongo, and Ovimbundu respectively) led to conflict after Portuguese forces left. The MPLA won the war and has held power continuously since independence. From 1979 to 2017, Angola was an authoritarian state, with limited political freedoms. There were some attempts to introduce democratic reforms, such as the introduction of a multiparty system in 1991 and the adoption of a new constitution in 2010, but these efforts were limited in scope and impact. Since 2017, a new government has implemented several reforms aimed at improving the country's democracy and governance.

Corruption is the main challenge in the country, affecting the economy, politics, and society, and eroding trust in government. The previous regime faced many allegations of widespread corruption, including the embezzlement of money from state-owned companies and banks. The oil sector was particularly targeted, and Sonangol, the state-owned company that oversaw oil production in Angola, is at the center of several corruption investigations. Additionally, the lack of diversified economic development has particularly affected opportunities for the youth, who now make up 60 per cent of the voting population and suffer from unemployment, poverty, and economic inequality. Their frustration has been channeled into anti-government protests and has been picked up on by UNITA for electoral gains.

Despite the gendered impacts of Angola’s long-standing conflict on women, women’s representation in political leadership has recently seen progress, guided by the National Gender Equality Policy. Nevertheless, systemic issues such as gender-based violence and gender gaps in economic participation remain. Angola has an ethnically diverse population, and despite ethnic differences in the early bases of support for UNITA and the MPLA, ethnicity is not a major political cleavage. A partial exception to this is the conflict between the central government and a separatist movement in the Cabinda exclave, which has continued at varying levels of intensity since the 1970s.  

Looking ahead, it is important to watch action (or the lack thereof) on corruption cases. While the party has adopted new anti-corruption measures (anti-money laundering laws, repatriation of stolen assets initiatives, and public procurement laws and stronger enforcement mechanisms), critics have argued that the pace of progress against corruption has slowed. Beyond corruption, the increasing electoral support for UNITA may put the governing party under different kinds of pressure, and Credible Elections and Judicial Independence will be important to monitor as well.